


The Lost Padawans

by Aceofstars16



Category: Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: Canon Divergence - Order 66, Order 66 AU, Other, SWR AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-04
Updated: 2018-05-04
Packaged: 2019-05-01 08:25:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,037
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14516325
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aceofstars16/pseuds/Aceofstars16
Summary: In an AU where Order 66 never happened, Ezra desperately wants to become a Jedi, but he is stuck and doesn’t know how to get over his block. That is until one little conversations starts a chain reaction of events that might be exactly what he needs…





	1. Out Of Place

**Author's Note:**

  * For [rainglazed](https://archiveofourown.org/users/rainglazed/gifts).



> [Tumblr post](http://aceofstars16.tumblr.com/post/173582766443/the-lost-padawans)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ezra isn't getting his latest lesson, he's blocked and he knows why, but can he really admit that he doesn't feel like he belongs at the temple?

“I’m never going to get this.”

Ezra slumped to the floor of his tiny room in the temple. After a full day of practicing animal connection, he still hadn’t been able to influence the tooka even a little. It wasn’t for lack of trying. He tried oh so hard, but it was as if there was a wall between him and the cat - and he had no idea how to get past it. Master Billaba seemed to think it might be an emotional block of sorts, but he know what it could be. Or at least that’s what he told her. In truth, he thought there could be a few things blocking him. But he didn’t want to admit it. His master seemed so sure of him, and everyone believed he was very strong in the Force. In their eyes, this was where he belonged. When he first arrived, he was sure they were right. The past few months however, he wasn’t quite so sure.

From the beginning, Ezra knew he was different. Every other kid he had met had been in the Order since they were mere toddlers, but not Ezra. His parents had kept him hidden, wanting him to have a normal life, to remember them, and know where he was from. He was sure they would’ve kept him until he was eighteen, but then he had jumped a little too high in front of the wrong people. It all changed after that. At eight years old, Ezra had been taken to Coruscant. Everyone assured him that he would catch up in no time, though now Ezra wondered if they were really trying to convince themselves more than him. He saw the way people looked at him, even now. Maybe it was because he refused to cut his hair like every other padawan, or maybe it was how he didn’t blindly follow the rules, but whatever the reason, he never felt entirely at home here.

There were days when he would be meditating, trying to clear his head, but all that he could focus on was his home. Even now, as he sat slumped in his room, he could picture it. The rolling hills, the adobe houses, the fresh breeze carrying the scent of Jogan fruit. Even though he hadn’t seen it in years, Lothal was burned into Ezra’s mind. He couldn’t forget it if he tried, and he never tried. It was his home, despite what the Order told him. He might live in the temple, but his heart would always belong to Lothal, and his family. His mom and dad – their voices had faded from his memory, but he could still picture them, and every night he found himself wishing he could see them again. Just for one day. How bad could that really be? They were his parents after all, surely it wasn’t bad to miss them? Then again, none of the other kids knew their parents, they had no such desires, so maybe it was wrong. At least to the Jedi.

Letting out a breath, Ezra leaned his head against the wall, his gaze unfocused on the other side of the room. These thoughts had been going around in his head for months now and he always felt bad for not telling his master. He was supposed to come to her with anything, right? Maybe it was time to come clean? Maybe that would help his block?

The thought lingered for a few minutes as Ezra struggled with a decision. Despite feeling so out of tune with everything, he still wanted to be a Jedi, he still wanted to help people in need, to protect the universe in ways that no one else could. And if this was the only way to do that…then he had to try, even though actually admitting all of this out loud to Master Billaba terrified him.

“Okay, let’s do this.”

Getting to his feet, Ezra slowly made his way towards his master’s room, realizing that this was the first time he had ever gone there without being called upon. As he walked, Ezra found himself watching padawans and Jedi Knights as they made their way through the temple, letting himself be distracted. Despite his choice, he wasn’t in any rush. Besides, being aware of your surroundings was a good thing, right?

“…Lothal…”

In the hubbub of the temple, Ezra didn’t know how he heard the word, but as soon as he did, he spun around, looking for the owner of the voice, but it was impossible to figure out who had said it. Despite that, Ezra kept looking, kept listening. He hadn’t heard any mention of his home ever since he had arrived at the temple - unless he had brought it up himself.

Then he spotted two council members not too far from him. They were speaking in lower tones, but Ezra could still make out a few words. “Slaves” “Criminals” “Blockade” were just a few things Ezra could make out. And as he nonchalantly walked a little closer, he was sure of one other thing. One of the voices was the same one he had heard before. And that could only mean one thing: Lothal was in danger.

Everything around Ezra seemed to fade out as the reality of it all settled in. His family. His home. Glancing in the direction of his master’s room, Ezra realized he couldn’t tell her how he felt. Not yet. If he did, she would probably try to reassure him, telling him that it would all work out – that he just needed to train more and let go of his past. But he couldn’t do that. No, if his family was in danger, he needed to know. He needed to see them and help them if he could – his parents and his old friends, who he still had a few vague memories of.

Turning on his heels, Ezra started making his way toward the exit of the temple, trying to walk casually, but it was hard when every inch of his body was screaming at him to run, to get to Lothal as soon as possible. As he walked, he was sure some people gave him odd looks – it wasn’t often that a padawan left the temple without their master, but it wasn’t totally unheard of. Still, he didn’t relax until he made it to the bottom of the steps.

Glancing back, Ezra paused for a moment, guilt tugging at him for leaving. But he shook it off. Maybe this is exactly what he needed. Maybe this was why he couldn’t focus, because his home needed him. And maybe, just maybe, it was a sign that this wasn’t where he belonged. Turning back towards the streets, he took a deep breath, and took a step forward.

* * *

Hovers sped by as people rushed along. Vendors yelled at anyone and everyone, trying to sell their goods. It was the regular hustle and bustle of Coruscant. Ezra had seen it a few times before, but never without his master. Her absence resulted in it seeming far more dangerous than it ever had before. He constantly felt out with the Force, searching for any sign of trouble. His eyes darted around, not wanting to be caught off guard. If there were any Jedi around he knew they would feel the fear radiating off of him. But he forced it down. He had to do this.

That’s what he told himself as he walked through the crowds, and as he stole some new clothes so he could blend in with the locals. His family needed him. He had to know if they were okay. But as he made his way to the shadier parts of the city, his certainty waivered. What if Lothal was actually okay and he was just over thinking it? Maybe he should’ve asked Master Billaba if she could’ve taken him there instead. But every doubt was pushed away by the resolution in his heart. He had started, there was no going back now. Because somehow, he knew if he did, he would be even more blocked than before. So, he trekked on.  
By the time he reached one of the main space ports, it was quite late, if he had to guess he’d assume it was close to midnight, but on Coruscant that didn’t matter. It was alive during all times of day, though the shadier types tended to come out at night.

“Maybe I should’ve done this in the morning,” he whispered to himself as he studied the ships in the bay, trying to act like he belonged as he walked. He didn’t know how he was going to find a good ship, let alone one that was heading to Lothal, but maybe if he could get to another hub that traveled to the outer rim and then find a ship that was going there... It was a long shot, but it was his only plan so he stuck to it.

Ezra walked past an assortment of ships, most of which he didn’t know the model of – after all, he had only ever traveled on Jedi sanctioned ships. He scanned each of them, not sure what he was looking for. But there were a few that just radiated wrong. Whenever he passed one of those, he would pick up the pace until it was far behind him.

As he scurried past a rather large ship, however, a different feeling washed over him. A pull on his chest, a connection that felt strange yet almost familiar. It was the last thing he had been expecting to feel, especially down here. Without thinking, he quickly ducked behind some crates. Maybe the council had noticed he was gone and had sent someone after him. Or maybe there were some shady Force wielders down here. Either way, he didn’t want to be found out. His gaze flicked over to the nearest ship. It was fairly large, probably some sort of cargo ship, and nothing about it seemed off.

Closing his eyes for a moment, Ezra steeled himself for what he was about to do. Eyes snapping open, he quickly looked around, making sure no one was watching, then he ran for the ship.

Only when he was inside a closet in the ship, did Ezra pause to catch his breath. Then he scrambled further back in the tiny room and pulled a few cleaning supplies in front of him. Even as he did so, he shook his head at his rash decision. He had no idea whose ship this was or where it was going, how could he have let his fear control him like that? But it was too late to change now. He didn’t know if anyone was on the ship – specifically droids – and he didn’t want to risk trying to leave again just in case this was some dirty smuggler ship. Without a lightsaber, he didn’t stand much of a chance against anyone, and he really didn’t want to come crawling back to the temple. Not until he knew the state of his home.

The sound of footsteps on the ship’s floor stole all of Ezra’s attention away from his worries. He tried to quiet his breathing as voices sounded outside.  
“There, that’s the last of it.” A female. Her voice wasn’t rough, it was almost soft and kind…but then again, Ezra hadn’t really dealt with any nefarious types, so he didn’t exactly know what a criminal sounded like.

“Good. I hate being here…” Another voice, male. It sounded a little lower, rougher. But for some reason, when Ezra heard it, he felt a sense of assurance, though he had no clue why.

The voices faded as they went further into the ship and Ezra let out a breath. So far so good…except that he had no idea whose ship he was on or where he was going. For a spilt second, the idea of trying to run off the ship crossed his mind, but then he heard the engine start up and the bay door close. There was no turning back now. He was on his way to who knew where.


	2. The Stowaway

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kanan reflects on his past and finds an unexpected surprise on The Ghost.

Coruscant. When he was younger it had been a welcome sight, but now, years later, Kanan couldn’t be happier to be leaving. It was full of too many memories and what-ifs. Not to mention the guilt that pressed down on him every time he visited the planet. And then there was the small urge to go back to the temple, to his old home. No matter how many times he told himself he was never going to go back, that miniscule pull on his chest always bugged him.

When the lights of hyperspace filled the cockpit window, he couldn’t help but let out a breath. He could feel Hera studying him, but he wasn’t ready to face her eye to eye. Not yet.

He knew he should tell her why he hated the planet, who he was before she saved him. But every time he thought about it, he hesitated. Maybe it was because he knew she would urge him to go back, or maybe it was just the fear of admitting what a coward he was - that he was running from his past because he was too ashamed to face it. Getting captured, being forced to do things he never would’ve done, leaving behind his old name because the memories attached to it were too terrible, being so broken that only Hera’s patient kindness could heal him. Deep down, he knew it wasn’t his fault. But not going back once he was better? That was all on him. He should have gone back, he had thought about it all the time. But whenever it crossed his mind, he couldn’t act on it. Leaving Hera and the home he had found on the Ghost with her crazy droid…that was just something he couldn’t give up. He had gotten the hang of pushing the memories away, and with each year it got a little easier, but going to Coruscant always brought the feelings back. He had considered telling Hera to go without him, but he knew that would only result in her asking why. So, he just had to deal with the planet for a few hours and then it would all be in the past again.

With a groan, Kanan made his way towards his bunk, needing to find something to get his mind out of the past. But as his door slid open, he felt something familiar. A pull. Just like he had felt on the docks. Dread built up in his chest before he could stop it. Why would a Jedi be on the Ghost? Though maybe the better question was, why hadn’t he noticed them sooner?

Quickly following the pull, Kanan soon found himself standing in front of the closet in the cargo bay, and only then did his anxiety ease a little. Jedi didn’t normally hide - that was the work of a stowaway. And while he didn’t think Hera would be all too happy some stranger was on her ship, it was a far easier idea to face.  
With the punch of a button, the door slid open and Kanan was met with…nothing.

“What the kriff…” he shook his head, wondering if the Force was just playing some sort of practical joke on him. Narrowing his eyes, he poked his head in a little further. Nope, he wasn’t just feeling things. Hidden in the shadows, he could barely make out a person – small from the looks of it. A kid.  
“I’m sorry, but I don’t think I got your boarding pass.”

“Wha-?” The kid – who seemed to have almost dosed off – quickly jumped up, pressing his back against the wall, trying to get away from Kanan.

“Don’t worry, it’s not me you have to worry about.” Kanan said, reaching and grabbing the kid’s arm, trying to be gentle but the kid was stronger than he looked and it took a minute to get him out of the closet.

Upon first inspection, he didn’t look like much. Ruffled black hair, fairly plain clothes – though they seemed to be new which was strange for a runaway.

“Hey, hey, relax!” Kanan said, trying to calm the kid, who was still struggling against his grip.

At his words, the boy looked at him, fear still shining in his eyes, but at least he wasn’t struggling as much anymore. “Who…who are you?”

“My name’s Kanan Jarrus, and you are…?”

“What…what are you…?” The kid’s eyes flicked up and down, scanning Kanan, as if trying to put the pieces of a puzzle into place.

“Eh…let’s go with…philanthropic smuggler.” It wasn’t really the correct description, but seeing as he and Hera did a lot of different things, there wasn’t exactly one word to describe what they did – helping those in need, selling cargo to get credits, transporting refugees to safe planets. They did a little bit of everything. “Now, how about a na-“

That’s when Kanan caught sight of a familiar feature - a braid on the back of the kid’s head. A padawan braid.

“I…I’m Ezra.”

Kanan barely heard the name as questions rammed around in him mind. Why would a padawan be here all alone, on the Ghost of all ships? Ezra didn’t look old enough to be on a mission alone, and the fact that he was hiding was a whole different factor. Was he running away…from the Jedi? Who would do that?

‘Me, that’s who.’ The reprimand came before the thought had even finished. He was in no place to judge, but then again, he had been taken from his master, this kid had left by choice.

“Why are you…?”

Kanan’s eyes flicked back to Ezra’s face as he spoke, even as he realized he had been staring at the braid, but when his gaze met the kid’s, his words died.

Maybe it was the Force, or maybe it was something else, but all Kanan knew was that some sort of realization passed between them. Here they were, two Force sensitive people, who were trying to keep that fact a secret. Kanan didn’t know what the kid’s ploy was, but he knew at once that he wasn’t going to tell anyone, and he hoped the kid would do the same for him.

A familiar whapping sound broke the silence and Kanan spun towards the railing up above as Chopper reached it.

“Okay, Chop, I’m coming!”

A second later, Hera appeared, heading towards the ladder, only to freeze as she spotted Ezra.

“And here I thought Chopper was just cranky. It’s been a while since someone tried to stowaway on my ship.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Kanan saw Ezra take a step back towards the closet. Before he could make a run for it though, he grabbed the kid’s arm.

“Well, Ezra here, decided to change that.”

A frown grew on Hera’s mouth before she climbed down the ladder and walked up to them. Ezra tried to pull away, but Kanan held him in place.

“Easy.” Hera raised up her hands in a peaceful gesture. “Why were you trying to leave Coruscant?”

The kid hesitated for a moment, then, “I…I need to go home.”

Kanan quickly looked at the kid, not even trying to mask his confusion. Padawan’s didn’t have a home aside from the temple, the Jedi were their family. Either the kid had dug into his family and found out who they were, or he was lying.

“Why were you on Coruscant? Did your family leave you on accident?” Hera’s kind voice took on a touch of worry, which was typical of her. Always wanting to help others, it was just one of the things Kanan admired about her. After all, that kindness had resulted in her helping him, and he had to admit it did feel kind of nice when he helped someone out too.

Ezra shook his head. “They…uh…I was going to a boarding school but I…uh…” He bit his lip casting a glance at Kanan, as if he was trying to come up with a convincing lie as to why he wasn’t at his ‘school’ anymore, especially a lie that would convince Kanan.

A sigh interrupted Kanan’s thoughts and when he glanced at Hera, she had her head in her hand. “Okay. Does your family know you are coming?”

Silence. A small shake of the head.

Hera glanced at Kanan, silently asking him what she should do. He shrugged his shoulder, tilting his head toward the kid. Ezra was just a kid, he was probably scared being stuck on a ship with people he didn’t know.

“Alright, well, where’s your family?”

Looking up quickly, Ezra glanced at Hera, then Kanan, then back at Hera, as if he couldn’t believe what he had just heard. “Lothal.”

It was quick and quiet, but at the word, Kanan and Hera looked at each other at the same time. Lothal just happened to be where they were heading. It was a backwater planet that wasn’t highly known, but it just so happened to be under lockdown due to the fact that a war lord had all but taken over the main cities. The citizens were low on food and hope and Hera had wanted to bring some fresh supplies to them.

“I know it’s out of the way, so if you could just drop me off at a space port I can probably find a ship there or something…”

“I am not going to drop you off at some space port.” Hera crossed her arms and Kanan tried to hold back a smirk.

“But-“

Hera help up her hand. “We are actually headed to Lothal, so that would be pointless. What city is your family in?”

“Um…” Ezra trailed off for a moment. “Capital City…”

That was problematic, seeing as that was the most guarded city. Kanan glanced at Hera, but she was still looking at Ezra, a thoughtful frown on her face.  
“We can take you to the outskirts, but ships are heavily monitored inside the city.”

“That’s fine!” Ezra said quickly, then ducked his head when Hera tilted her head a little at his quick agreement. “Th-thank you. I can get home from there.”  
“Alright. It’s going to take a little while to get there though so, in the meantime, you can rest up in one of the spare rooms.” As she spoke, Hera, gently grabbed Ezra’s arm and motioned for him to follow her.

Kanan let go of the kid’s arm and watched as he followed Hera, his mind reeling as he tried to figure out what Ezra’s story was. It was full of holes. Going to a home that he shouldn’t remember but knowing the planet well enough to know at least one of the cities. Running away from the Jedi when it could result in him being lost, or worse. What was he trying to accomplish? Did something happen that had affected him enough to make him want to leave? And if so, what?  
Shaking his head, Kanan tried to push it all aside. It didn’t matter, in a few hours the kid would be on Lothal and he would never see him again.


	3. Coming Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ezra is back on Lothal. Everything should be clear sailing from here, right?

Ezra was out of his element. He had rarely even been on a ship before, and he had never been expected to help out on one, but after he had gotten some well needed rest, the captain – or Hera, as he kept reminding himself to call her – had told him to help Kanan sort through supplies, which didn’t help in making him feel any more comfortable. The man was a mystery to Ezra. To his knowledge, most force sensitive people were either Jedi or Sith. Ezra had heard of grey Jedi, but even they would come to the temple now and again and he got the sense Kanan wasn’t one of them, seeing as he called himself a smuggler.

As they worked, Ezra found himself continually glancing at Kanan, trying to fill in his life, how he could be here, doing what he was doing, without being known to the Jedi. Maybe he was a Jedi and Ezra just didn’t know him. But that seemed unlikely. If any Jedi found a padawan trying to run, they would’ve taken him back to the temple right away. And Kanan knew what he was, Ezra had realized he knew as soon as Kanan had seen his braid, and yet he hadn’t said anything about it.

“Can you please stop that. We have work to do.” Kanan didn’t even look up as he spoke, but he seemed to have known that Ezra was watching him.

Ducking his head, Ezra forced himself to focus on counting the blankets in a crate, though his mind kept coming back to Kanan despite that fact that he should be figuring out what he was going to do when he got to Lothal. It had been years since he had been there, and while he was pretty sure he could find his house again, there was the off chance that his parents had moved, or he wouldn’t recognize the side of the city they landed on.

Ezra tried to push aside his worries and just focus on the work at hand. He would figure it out, he had to figure it out. Once he got home, he’d make sure his parents were okay and then…then what? Tell them his troubles in training? Ask them if he could stay forever? Okay, maybe he didn’t have everything worked out, but all he knew was that at least he was on his way. He had made it this far, he was seing this through. He would see his planet again, find his parents, and then he’d figure out the next step.

* * *

“We’re exiting hyperspace.”

As soon as the words echoed through the ship, Ezra dropped the jogan he had been holding and raced up the ladder to the upper deck before running into the cockpit. The blue of hyperspace disappeared and was replaced by Lothal - a colorful orb floating in the blackness of space. But the excitement that had washed over Ezra was quickly replaced by a sinking feeling. While most of the planet looked fine, there were a few dark spots, as if all of the life had been sucked from it, and the Force around it was unsteady, angry, oppressed. It wasn’t the home he remembered.

“Don’t worry, I have codes that will help us get through the blockade.”

Hera’s voice shook Ezra out of his shock, and only then did he notice the large ships hovering around the planet. “Who?”

“A crime lord by the name of Festron. He’s taken over quite a few worlds now, and no one has seemed keen to stop it. Apparently, the outer rim is all but forgotten in the core worlds.” The bitterness of Hera’s tone was shocking, Ezra had only heard her speak kindly, and this difference was strange, but at the same time it matched the own anger in his chest. The Jedi were supposed to be stopping things like this. Where were they now? When planets like Lothal needed them.

The descent to the surface was a quiet one. Ezra’s eyes were glued to his home, taking it all in, the good and the bad. Only when the ship touched the surface did he move, realizing that this was it. Once again, he would be on his own, at least until he found his parents. It was a relief, but he also felt a spike of anxiety. From his memory, Lothalians were quite nice, but what if they had changed over the years?

Ezra shook the thought away, if he could deal with lower level Coruscant, he could deal with anything on Lothal.

“Well…thanks for…everything,” Ezra said a few minutes later as he stood on the ramp of the ship.

“Straight back to your family now. And be careful of any rough looking types, don’t give them the time of day, just keep walking, okay?”

A small smile crept up on Ezra’s mouth at Hera’s words and he nodded. For a split second, he caught Kanan’s eye and there was a small tug at his chest, but he quickly pushed it away. If the Force thought he needed this guy, it was wrong. He was on Lothal and from here on out, things would get better.

Or not.

The good news: Ezra recognized the outskirts of the city, and after a little exploring, he found the road that lead to his old home. The bad news: no one was home.

As soon as he saw the old building, he knew something was wrong. There was no smoke coming from the chimney – which shouldn’t have been the case. As a kid, his mother was almost always cooking something, no matter the time of day. But the real indicator was the silence. The city itself hadn’t been very loud during his whole trek, but there had still been signs of life. Not here though. Despite that, Ezra still tried going up to the door and knocking. Once. Twice. Nothing.

Closing his eyes, he let out a breath and made his way around back. Scrambling up the side of the clay structure, he managed to wriggle into one of the open window - though it was a tighter fit than he remembered.

Feet hitting the floor, Ezra looked up and his blood froze. Not only was it void of people, but there were signs of a struggle. A table overturned, a vase broken on the floor. And worst of all, a thin layer of dust coated everything. No one had been here in a long time.

The room seemed to tilt off balance as the reality hit Ezra. His parents were gone, his planet was enslaved, and no one was doing anything about it. He was too late.

“Mom…dad…”

Legs giving way, Ezra slumped against the window, not even bothering to compose himself. The Jedi weren’t supposed to have attachments, they were supposed to be able to help out and move on. It was something Ezra had never understood. He could never get right. But for the first time, he was glad for it, his parents deserved emotion from him, even if at the moment, it didn’t feel very good at all.

Tears welled in his eyes, his chest tightened to the point where he could barely breathe. His legs couldn’t even support him a little and he slid to the ground. A mix of emotions washed over him, though he couldn’t pinpoint what he was feeling before it was replaced by something else. Guilt at not being there for his parents, for not coming sooner. Fear for what he was going to do next. Loneliness and knowing there was no one he could turn to for help – not without risking a reprimand for running off. For a moment he wondered if he should’ve never left the temple, but then he shook it off, knowing he would rather know now, than have found out from someone who didn’t care.

Ezra jumped as a hand rested on his shoulder, snapping him out of his emotional well. Kanan was crouching next to him, his expression unreadable, though not unkind.

Opening his mouth, Ezra tried to ask what Kanan was doing here, if he had followed him and if so, why? But no words came out and Ezra shut his mouth and brought his legs forward, resting his chin on them as he wiped away the tears that had built up.

“Hera wanted to make sure you made it home okay.” Kanan looked around the room then back at Ezra. “From the looks of it though, it’s anything but okay.”

“No kidding…” Ezra mumbled, pulling his legs a little closer, all too aware of Kanan’s hand still on his shoulder. It wasn’t unwelcome, but it also set his nerves on edge. He didn’t know Kanan, or what his ulterior motives might be, but for some reason he didn’t feel threatened. Maybe it was his own naivety or the simple desire to have someone to help still his emotions, or maybe it was the Force, at this point Ezra didn’t know, but he was grateful for the comfort.

Kanan sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “Look. Hera went to deliver some supplies, she has a contact here that apparently knows things. Why don’t you tag along?”

At the words, Ezra looked up, shocked that Kanan would even offer such a thing. The whole time on the ship, Ezra couldn’t help but feel like all he wanted was for Ezra to leave. “Are you…or do you…would Hera be okay with that?”

A small smile grew on Kanan’s face. “She’ll be fine with it, trust me. Hera has a habit of helping people, in fact she’d probably yell at me if I hadn’t offered.”

Ezra tried to smile, but it fell. Despite the gratitude at the offer and that someone actually cared about how he was doing, his emotions were still reeling, faking happiness just didn’t seem doable at the moment. But at least he had some sort of next step, something he could do. “Okay…I…I’ll tag along.”

Kanan patted a hand on his shoulder before pulling away. “Glad to hear it. Come on, it’s a bit of a walk.”

By the time they reached Hera and her friend, it was getting dark and Ezra had to expend almost all of his energy to keep himself from dragging his feet. It seemed the events of the day had drained him, both physically and emotionally.

“Ezra?” Hera’s voice was full of worry and confusion, but before Ezra could say anything, Kanan spoke up.

“His family wasn’t home. The whole block looked almost deserted.”

Ezra could feel Kanan looking at him, but he was too tired to look back, too taxed to give any more details about the state of his empty home.

“Lots of streets are that way now.”

A new voice spoke, and Ezra forced himself to look up. He didn’t recognize the Lothalian, but he didn’t look overly threatening in a simple mining outfit.

“I thought Festron was just limiting supplies.” Hera cast a glance at Ezra, then looked back at her friend. “Why the change?”

“Some of the people weren’t very happy with the way things are run. Anyone that didn’t comply with rules were rounded up and taken to the main mining sector out of town.”

“What happens to them?” Ezra found himself asking before anyone else could. He didn’t want to know, but at the same time he needed to know. If there was even a chance that his parents were still alive, then there was a chance he could still help them.

“No one knows for sure. But word is they are locked up. Some are forced to mine, any that can’t do that help in the factories. Supposedly Festron ‘pays’ them with room and board to try and keep any do gooders at bay but anyone who knows anything knows that it’s just a ploy.” The way he spoke of it all, Ezra knew he didn’t approve of the way things were run, but then again who would?

Taking a deep breath, Ezra closed his eyes, hesitating for a moment before asking the one thing he needed to know. “Do you know if…if the Bridgers were taken there?”

“Mira and Ephriam Bridger. They were some of the most outspoken again the treatment, they were taken a while back. It hit the town hard. I didn’t know them very well but they were always helping out. Especially those that were taking the brunt of the punishments. Good people.”

Ezra’s legs started shaking as a wave of emotions washed over him again. His parents, helping those in need, calling out for justice. They always did what they could, he remembered that about them, and that was one of the reasons he willingly left for the temple. If he could be a Jedi, he could help others. But what had that decision resulted in – confusion, emptiness, and his parents locked away, maybe worse.

“Ezra?”

Hera’s voice was faded, Ezra could barely focus on it.

“He’s had a long day.” Kanan’s voice sounded closer, and a second later a hand was on his shoulder. “How about we pick this up in the morning? Furpil right? Nice to meet you.”

Ezra barely heard the conversation as Kanan lead him away from the group and onto the ship, his legs were shaking and his head was swimming. This morning he thought everything would be figured out by now, but instead it was worse, so much worse than he could’ve imagined.

“I guess we could start calling this your room, you’ve used it a few times now.”

Kanan’s voice echoed on the walls of the ship, but Ezra couldn’t focus on the words, all he could force himself to do was crawl onto the bed and curl up in a ball.  
A blanket was laid out over him and as he looked over his shoulder, he saw Kanan watching him.

“Don’t worry kid, it’ll be okay.”

They were empty words. No one could know if any of this would be okay, but despite that, Ezra was grateful for the attempt at making him feel better. He opened his mouth, but then realized he didn’t even know what to say, so he just nodded.

Kanan smiled slightly, then walked to the doorway, pausing for a second, as if he was going to say something, then he just shook his head and closed the door.  
Letting out a breath of air, Ezra pulled the blanket tight around him and closed his eyes, not even bothering to wipe away the tears that fell or try to calm his shaking. Sorrow enveloped him and he fell asleep to wet cheeks and aching lungs.

* * *

As soon as the door closed, Kanan shook his head, trying to clear it. He hadn’t known what to think of Ezra before, but now he was even more conflicted. Here was this kid who had clearly run away from the temple, but who also very clearly cared about his family. When Kanan had first found Ezra in his home, he had felt the grief radiating through the Force, and now he could feel it again. It made sense, of course, but that didn’t make it any less heartbreaking. Ezra was so young, too young to be dealing with all that he was. Kanan knew all too well what that was like. As he made his way outside, he told himself that was why he was feeling so sympathetic towards the kid, but he knew that wasn’t entirely true. The Force was also prodding him in a way it hadn’t in years. Honestly it was quite unnerving, both the strength of it and that for the first time in years, he actually agreed with it.

“How’s he doing?”

Hera’s voice broke through his thoughts and Kanan looked back at the ship and shrugged. “He’s taking it hard. He just needs some time.”

The frown on Hera’s face hinted that she didn’t entirety agree, but she didn’t argue. “The question is, what do we do once he’s doing better?”

“Find his parents.”

“What?” Her expression was a mix between shock and admiration, but she shook her head. “If they are still alive, we can hardly free them with just the two of us.”

“Four, at least. If Furpil helps, and with the right distraction, we could pull it off.”

“You’re insane.” Despite her words, a small smile was creeping its way onto Hera’s mouth.

Kanan shrugged. “Maybe, but the kid is clearly going through something, and getting his family back might be the best way to help him.”

“Not if it ends up getting everyone killed.”

“No one is dying on my watch.”

“Kanan, I appreciate the dedication, but even you can’t keep everyone safe. It’s too risky.”

Closing his eyes, Kanan felt the pull of the Force, ebb and flow, and a distant memory hidden long ago. He hadn’t thought of using his lightsaber in years, he never wanted to. It would reveal too many hidden doors, create too many questions. But as much as he wanted to ignore it -simply agree with Hera and move on - he couldn’t. When he was kidnapped and forced to serve those who didn’t deserve it, he had lost all hope. It had been the worst time in his life. And now Ezra was facing something similar, and Kanan couldn’t sit around and do nothing, letting him suffer while he moved on and stayed safe and comfortable.

“Hera, trust me.”


	4. A Last Resort

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hope seems lost, but Ezra has an idea that might just be their last resort.

When Ezra first heard of the plan to free his parents, he had been shocked. Why in the world would strangers help him? But then he realized it wasn’t just for him, it was for Lothal, for all the citizens who had been taken. It was a step towards freeing all of Lothal. Ezra had grown excited, albeit nervous as the plan formed. It was risky, but it was doable. They could do this.

At least that’s what he had thought. It all started out fine, the explosion, sneaking into the complex. But then it unraveled. There were more guards than they accounted for and chaos erupted around them.

Ezra tried to fight, tried to fire the blaster he had, but he had never used one before. The noise and colors were dizzying, and soon Ezra lost all sense of where his friends were, or who to aim at. For a second, he thought it couldn’t get much worse, but then he was proven wrong.

He was trying to aim at what he thought was a guard, when a sharp, burning pain erupted in his shoulder. It was so sudden, so unexpected, so excruciating. Ezra’s legs gave out and he fell. This had been a mistake. He never should’ve left the temple or believed he could free his parents with just a few people. Now he was going to die here, and his new friends were going to die with him.

Then, in the midst of the chaos, a familiar sound caught Ezra’s attention. It couldn’t be…but as he looked up, he saw it – a lightsaber, wielded by…Kanan?

“Ezra, come on, it’s time to go!”

Through the noise, Ezra couldn’t make out who was talking, but then someone was pulling him to his feet and he was running. His entire arm burned with pain as he ran, he couldn’t focus but someone was leading him, making sure he was going the right way.

The ground changed from grass to metal and Ezra was forced to sit down. He could barely make out the interior of the small ship through the tears in his eyes and the pain coursing through his body, but he forced himself to look, to see who was there, but the only person he saw was Kanan.

“Everyone else?”

Kanan shook his head and Ezra closed his eyes, trying to ward off the emotional and physical pain, but it wasn’t much use. They had failed, and people had died.  
No one made a sound the entire ride back to the Ghost, and when they arrived, Hera was the only one to speak.

“We should get that cleaned up.”

Ezra knew she was looking at his shoulder, but he couldn’t force himself to look, not even while she was cleaning it. It was already hurting beyond compare - looking at it would probably only make the whole thing worse, and it definitely wouldn’t help the nausea that had welled up inside of him as the reality of everything settled over him. His body may be hurting, but everything else just felt numb.

“There, that should do it.”

Hera tightened a cloth strip as she spoke, but Ezra barely heard her. Nodding his thanks, he got up and made his way out of the ship. Despite every inch of his body aching, he knew he wouldn’t be sleeping any time soon.

The wind rustled his hair as he walked, but he barely noticed it. With each step, he felt weighed down more and more until he stopped all together, then he dropped to his knees.

“I’m sorry Master…mom…dad…”

Shaking his head, Ezra half wanted to scream, and half wanted to curl up in a ball and never get up. His body started shaking and his lungs constricted as he tried to hold back tears. But after a few moments, it was impossible to hold them back anymore, and soon his body was wracking with sobs. It hurt, in more ways than one, but he couldn’t stop.

A light touch on his knee brought Ezra’s head jerking up, even as hiccups still attacked his body. Kanan was kneeling in front of him, not unlike he had a few days ago. He opened his mouth as if to speak, but before he could Ezra flung himself at his chest. Maybe it was stupid, to seek comfort from someone he didn’t know, but Ezra didn’t care, he needed someone and right now Kanan was the only one around.

As another bout of sobs overcame Ezra, he felt arms wrapping around him.

“I’m sorry, Ezra. I…” The arms tightened and Ezra gripped Kanan’s shirt as his body continued to shake.

He just wanted the pain to go away, for everything to be better, but it didn’t. Long after the tears had dried up, and he had pulled away from Kanan, the pain still lingered. But somehow, in the midst of the pain, Ezra remembered what he had seen during the battle.

“You have a lightsaber.”

Silence for a moment. “Yeah…”

“You were a Jedi…weren’t you?”

A breath. “A padawan.”

Ezra glanced over at Kanan, whose gaze was fixed resolutely on the horizon.

“What happened?”

Kanan’s eyes flickered towards Ezra, then back to the night sky. “I uh…when I was about your age, I was on a mission with an older padawan. It was my first mission without my master, and I was excited. But then it all went wrong. This group of…hunters found us, managed to catch us off guard and sedate us.” He paused for a moment, covering his eyes with his hand. “When we came to, we had collars around our necks and we were sold and forced to do whatever our owner wanted.” At this he looked away and Ezra realized that Kanan wasn’t just talking about chores.

“I would probably still be there now if it wasn’t for Hera. She found out what my master was doing. Her and Chopper helped save all of us. She took everyone else to their homes but…”

“Not you?”

Kanan shook his head. “I was in worse shape, I…it wasn’t good, Hera helped me heal in more ways than one. I couldn’t go back to my master like I was and…when I was better…I wasn’t sure if I wanted to go back anymore. I had been gone for years and…I had changed…so, I stayed with Hera.”

“Does she know?” Ezra couldn’t help but ask, even as his broken mind tried to understand what Kanan must have gone through.

“Yeah…she does now. Not everything but… I’ll have to tell her the details soon.”

“She’ll understand, I’m sure. She’s nice.”

A small laugh escaped Kanan. “That’s because you’ve only seen her nice side. When she gets mad well…let’s just say I’m not really looking forward to it.”

The smallest smile twitched at Ezra’s mouth. “Thanks for…telling me…and for saving me back there…”

“I promised Hera I wouldn’t let anything happen to you, I only wish everyone else…” Kanan sighed and Ezra’s gaze dropped to the ground.

“I guess there’s only so much one Jedi can do.”

Ezra started nodding but froze as a thought crossed his mind. He wanted to shake it off, there had to be another way, but…how many more innocent people would die if they kept trying?

“Ezra? What’s wrong?” Kanan touched Ezra’s shoulder lightly, worry lining his voice.

“Nothing I just…” He took a deep breath. “I think I know how we can help Lothal…but…” He looked up at Kanan. “It means going back.”


	5. Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Going back to the temple is the last thing Kanan wants to do, but for Ezra he's willing to face his past.

“It will be fine.”

Kanan barely heard Hera as the Ghost came out of hyperspace and Coruscant filled the viewport. He didn’t want to be back here, not so soon. Scenarios kept running through his head, what the masters would say, the looks he would get. He could already feel the shame in his bones. It took everything in his power not to tell Hera to turn around.

Glancing back at Ezra, Kanan saw that he looked almost as tight as Kanan felt, though he knew there was another reason for it. This might be the only hope Ezra had of saving his parents. That alone was enough for Kanan. No, he didn’t know Ezra that well, heck he barely knew him at all, but he’d be lying if he said he didn’t care about the kid. There was something about him that seemed so familiar, and Kanan couldn’t let the kid down. Not like how he had let down the Jedi. How he let down himself.

The cockpit was silent as Hera maneuvered the Ghost through the busy streets. Kanan thought his chest was as tight as it could be, but then the temple came into view and all air left his lungs. It looked the same as it had all those years ago, and yet it was different. The atmosphere around it was calmer – there was no longer a war going on after all.

Closing his eyes, Kanan tried to calm himself, but instead he found himself feeling out in the Force – not wanting to, but also needing to know. Familiar tingles down his spine alerted him that many of his old friends were still alive, though their Force signatures had changed. But one was constant, just as he remembered.  
His master. Depa Billaba. As much as he had tried to forget about her, tried to move on, he had always wondered how she had fared, how she had taken everything. And now he was going to find out.

A fresh wave of guilt washed over Kanan, one he couldn’t push away. As the Ghost landed, Kanan stood up. Not wanting to go out, but knowing he needed to, and glancing at Ezra, he saw the same worry reflected in his blue eyes. But at Kanan’s nod, the gaze turned determined.

“I’ll go first.”

Kanan’s eyebrows shot up at Ezra’s words and he shook his head. “You don’t have to-“

“I’m the one that wanted to come back. I’ll do it…” Despite his seeming confidence, Kanan could feel the waves of worry radiating off of Ezra.

“Alright, but I’ll be right behind you.”

With a nod, Ezra started forward. Kanan followed suit and with a glance behind him, he saw that Hera was following as well. That fact alone bolstered Kanan as they reached the cargo bay. As the door lowered, doubts started racing through Kanan’s mind again, but then the ramp hit the floor and Kanan froze.

Ezra walked forward, but Kanan didn’t hear what he said. His eyes were fixed on her, Master Billaba. She hadn’t changed much, aside from a few wrinkles on her face and gray hairs on her head.

Relief and remorse struck him in the chest. That’s when her gaze flickered from Ezra to Kanan. At first suspicious, then confused, then shocked.

“Caleb? Is…is that you?”

Caleb. It was a name Kanan hadn’t heard in years. Not since he was only a child, when it had been used only to punish him, hurt him, or demean him. When he had first met Hera, he flinched every time he heard it, which is why she helped him come up with a new name. But now…he felt like a padawan again. Master Billaba didn’t say his name harshly, in anger or rebuke, but in disbelief and maybe even a little bit of relief.

“Actually, his name is…”

“Master.” Kanan fell back into the formalities. They felt so foreign, so strange, but not totally wrong either.

“Wait…you…know each other?”

“That we do. I never thought both of my padawans would come back at the same time though.” Master Billaba smiled, welcoming.

Then the realization dawned on Kanan. “That’s why…”

“Why wha…?” Ezra looked at Kanan for a moment, but then the question on his face died and his eyes widened.

Why they had felt connected without knowing each other. Why there was this understanding and familiarity between. Their lives paralleled each other’s in more ways than Kanan had ever realized.

“The Force works in mysterious ways.”

Master Billaba’s words rang through the air and Kanan glanced at her. She was smiling at him, freely, happily. There was no resentment, no anger. A weight that had been on Kanan’s shoulders far too long was lifted, and the smallest smile formed on the corner of his mouth.

“I am curious though…Ezra, where have you been the past few days?”

From anyone else, it might’ve sounded angry, but Master Billaba was only concerned.

“I…I went home. To Lothal…and…well that’s why we’re here. We need help.”

* * *

 

Fear coursed through Ezra’s body. His shoulder was still aching from the last time he had been here, despite this time being different. The Jedi had agreed to help Lothal. They were meeting with Festron to try to negotiate freedom for the world, but they had backup in case anything went wrong – which Ezra was sure it would. In some sense, Ezra knew he might feel better if he was the backup, surrounded by Jedi and trained soldiers, but at the same time he needed to be here.

Ezra, Kanan, Hera, and a few soldiers had been assigned to sneak into the base and free the prisoners before Festron could use them as bargaining chips. With a blueprint of the building and an idea of where everyone would be held, Ezra had been more hopeful, but now he was terrified. Anything could go wrong, or they could get there too late.

“Ezra.”

Jumping at the voice, Ezra glanced at Kanan. “Uh…yeah?”

“You okay?”

“I uh…yeah.” Shaking his head, Ezra tried to press down the worry in his chest. He caught a glimpse of concern in Kanan’s eyes, but he looked at the building. He could do this.

“Okay, cause I’m going to need your help.”

“With what?”

Kanan gestured to the grass. “With creating a little distraction to make sure the way is clear.”

“What are you talking abou-?” Ezra trailed off as he heard it, a meow, coming from the grass. “Oh…no, Kanan I can’t!”

“Of course you can! You’ve learned how to connect with animals before, right?”

“It…depends on your definition of learned…” As he spoke, Ezra found himself picking at a blade of grass as he was transported back to his last training session with Master Billaba. Trying to connect with the tooka but not being able to connect with it in the slightest.

A sigh sounded from Kanan and all Ezra wanted to do was go back to the ship. He was useless here. Just a kid who didn’t even know how to use the Force all that well. “Alright, well what do you know about it?”

“I…I don’t know. You have to establish a connection with them and then tell them what you want them to do?”

“Well, you have half of it right. You don’t really tell them, more…suggest something. Once you connect with them you can understand them more and then they can understand what you need. Does that make sense?”

It sounded familiar, Ezra recalled hearing something similar before. “Yeah well, I can’t even connect with them so…”

“Try.”

Ezra shook his head. “I can’t…you can just do it, right?”

“Ezra.” Kanan placed a hand on his shoulder and Ezra looked up at him. “You can do this, I know you can.”

“I…” Ezra looked at the ground, wanting to be able to muster up some sort of determination, but he shook his head. “I can’t Kanan. That’s why I left. I wasn’t learning, I was blocked, I am blocked. I…I don’t think I’m meant to be a Jedi…”

There was silence for a moment and Ezra waited for a reprimand. “I know exactly how you feel.”

“Wait…you do…?”

“Of course I do. I don’t even know if I’m a Jedi now. I don’t feel like one. But I do know that we need to get in there and rescue your parents. Don’t focus on your fear, on your doubts, focus on what you need to do, on being here, now. I know you can do it, Ezra. Maybe you aren’t meant to be a Jedi or maybe you are, that’s a worry for another time. But right now, you are meant to help free Lothal. So…what do you say?”

Sitting there for a moment, Ezra let the words soak in, the reality of it all, then he nodded. “Okay…”

“Good.” Kanan lifted up his hand and Ezra followed suit. “Remember, just connect with it, feel the Force, try to understand it.”

Closing his eyes, Ezra felt for the Loth cats in the Force, their energetic nature, their inquisitive spirit. He heard a meow and dared to open his eye for a moment. A few cats had poked their heads up out of the grass and were looking around. Excitement welled up in Ezra’s chest, but he closed his eyes and tried to keep his focus. Exploring, Loth cats liked to explore, so maybe they could explore the building. It was barely a thought, a suggestion.

“Great job.”

Ezra opened his eyes and saw a few Loth cats running out of the building with guards chasing them and he could hear faint meows from inside. “I…I did it?” He looked at Kanan in shock and saw pride in his eyes.

“You sure did.” Then he lifted up his hand – the signal for the others. “Now let’s go free your parents.”

Sneaking through the grass and then into the complex turned out to be easier than expected. It seemed most of the guards were either at the meeting with the Jedi or distracted by Loth cats. The few they did run into were quickly dispelled with a few stun blasts.

Ezra carefully followed behind Kanan, holding a gun that he hadn’t used yet. He had wanted to bring his lightsaber, but stealth was key and lightsabers only cut, they didn’t stun.

As they made their way further into the building, Ezra found himself feeling out in the Force, wanting to know if his parents were there while simultaneously fearing that they weren’t. And then they reached the cells. They were made up to look more like rooms, but the bars on the doors proved otherwise.

“Alright, let’s get these guys out of here.” Kanan said, grabbing something from his back before clicking it into place. Then his lightsaber ignited.

“What? You got to bring yours?”

“If you brought yours you’d use it out of habit, whereas I’m out of practice. Besides, it’ll help with getting everyone out faster.”

“It would go even faster if I had mine…” Ezra mumbled, but froze as Kanan ruffled his hair.

“You can bring yours next time, but we need to get moving.”

The next few minutes were a rush of activity. Ezra was given a lock pick that did the job almost as well as a lightsaber and soon every door was unlocked. There were so many people, too many to count, and as hard as he tried, Ezra couldn’t pick out his parents.

“Alright, everyone come this way.” Hera raised her voice over the confused whispers.

Ezra continued to look around, but he could only spot Kanan and he quickly rushed up to him. “Do you see my parents?”

“I don’t know what they look like Ezra, but we need to go. We can’t sit around here.”

“But-”

Kanan placed firm hands on his shoulders. “Ezra. I’m sure they are here. If not, I will personally come back in and look high and low until we find them, okay?”

Fighting back a wave of panic, Ezra nodded and followed Kanan and the crowd through the complex. All of the guards had already been knocked out, and soon everyone was outside – following Hera’s instructions to get them as far away from the building as possible. Gunfire sounded from far away, which only prompted everyone to move faster.

“Mom? Dad?” Ezra called out into the crowd. Searching high and low, but in the dark it was even harder to see anyone.

He got a few looks, but no one responded. Ezra kept calling out, panic over taking him as he was met with silence.

“Ezra?”

It was a quiet voice, weak, tired, but Ezra heard it. And he knew it. “Mom?!?” Ezra forced his way through confused prisoners and then he saw her. She was being helped by a younger woman, and his dad was next to her, looking even more exhausted than her. But it was undeniably them.

“Mom! Dad!” Ezra’s legs were shaking as he ran. Tears welled up in his eyes but he brushed them away as his legs moved without thought. He crashed into them, resulting in all of them falling on the ground. But it was worth it as arms wrapped around him. Hands brushed his hair, as kisses were placed on his cheeks.

“You’ve grown so much.”

“I can’t believe you’re here.”

“We’re so proud of you.”

Ezra barely heard the words as sobs escaped his mouth. He couldn’t believe it had worked, they were here, they were alive.

“I missed you so much.” He whispered, not sure they even heard him, but then his mom pulled back and cupped his head in her hands.

“We missed you too.”

“But what are you doing here?”

Ezra glanced over at his dad, who had been smiling a moment before but now had a confused frown on his face.

“I…I came to rescue you and…” Ezra scrambled, trying to figure out what to say, how to explain everything.

“Was this your first mission?” His mom asked, pride shining in her eyes.

“It uh…”

“I’d say so.”

Looking up, Ezra saw Kanan smiling down at him.

“Is this your mentor? It’s an honor to meet you!” Ezra’s mom did her best to bow while still seated but Kanan quickly waved his hands.

“No, no, I’m not…I just…helped out.”

But at those words, Ezra suddenly realized something. An idea started forming in his head. It wasn’t traditional, and maybe it was a little crazy but…maybe that was just what he needed.


	6. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Months later and Ezra has finally found his place in the world.

“Thank you so much!”

The twi’lek shook Ezra’s hand so much, it was still shaking after he had let go, but that didn’t remove the grin on Ezra’s face as he handed out the next meal.

It had been a few months since the Lothal mission – as Kanan had dubbed it, and for the first time, Ezra felt at peace. Sure, a ship wasn’t the most normal home for a Jedi, and it was unconventional that half the time Ezra seemed to teach Kanan as much as he taught him, but what did that matter? Yes, the council had been unsure at first, but Master Billaba had vouched for both Kanan and Ezra, and after his last assessment at the temple, no one had any doubts that it was working out just fine.

At first, Ezra felt bad he was learning so much better under Kanan than he ever had with Master Billaba, but she had assured him she wasn’t upset, only happy that she had been able to teach him what she could. And Ezra still remembered her lessons, and he really was grateful for them. He was also appreciative that she understood why he had to live this unconventional life.

He didn’t live at the temple, because Lothal would always be his true home – which he visited as often as he could - and he didn’t spend hours trying to force something that wouldn’t happen, because he learned best on the spot, when he was needed. Yes, he was different, but now he was starting to realize that maybe that wasn’t such a bad thing.

“Alright, that’s the last of it.”

Ezra glanced over at Hera, who was shaking hands with a large purple alien – a lasat if Ezra remembered correctly. He had been meeting all sorts of people on their relief missions around the outer rim. Sometimes it was just simple food delivery, but other times it was more dangerous. Either way, Ezra loved it all, seeing the smiles on grateful people’s faces. Helping people, just as he had always wanted to.

Ezra watched as Hera said goodbye to the lasat and made her way back to them.

“Alright, our next stop is a Mandalorian planet. Apparently, they want to help with aid.” Hera made a face and Ezra couldn’t help but laugh.

“Hey, the Mandalorians on that icy planet weren’t all that bad, right?” Ezra said quickly, remembering Krowsnest and how he had been surprised by how much he enjoyed the frigid temperatures.

Kanan and Hera glanced at each other and Kanan shrugged.

“Come on, it’ll be fine!” Ezra said, grinning as he raced up the ramp. “Besides, if not I can always try out that mind trick Kanan has been teaching me!”  
Laughter sounded from Kanan and Hera as they followed him into the ship, and as Ezra made his way to the cockpit, he couldn’t suppress his joy. He had found his place, and it was so much better than he could have ever imagined.


End file.
